The present subject matter is generally directed to vibrating screen separator systems. In a conventional screen separator, an elongated, box-like like frame of upright rigid characteristics may be inclined over a supporting surface, and a screen captivated within the frame may be vigorously shaken as material passes over the screen. Material having a predetermined size drops through the screen for conveyance to alternative separators or product bins and the like. Exemplary vibrators include pneumatic, hydraulic, and rotary types vibration mechanisms.
Screening effectiveness of a vibrating wire screen is generally a function of gravity and the movement of material relative to the wire screen. For example, too little movement of the particles may allow material to wedge in the wire cloth, and too much movement may bounce the particles excessively and reduce screening capacity while increasing dust level. Generally, conveying capacity of a material on a vibrating wire screen is a function of slope, amplitude, frequency, load, and flow characteristics of the material. An optimum flow, amplitude, frequency, and slope relation would be one that loads the wire cloth with the maximum amount of material but does not impede the free movement of the material. An increase in the slope of the machine, an increase in the amplitude or frequency of vibration, and/or a reduction of the load may increase free movement of a material through an exemplary machine.
Due to the input of relatively large amounts of vibrational energy in conventional screen separator machines, however, damage to the screening cloth, particularly along the mounting edges and at the mesh cloth and backing wire screen interface occurs. Additionally, as more energy is inputted to an exemplary vibrating system, the greater the possibility of fatigue and destruction to the screen may be incurred. For example, conventional vibrating wire screening machines employ a screening mesh cloth with a backing wire screen adjacent thereto. The screening mesh cloth typically possesses a finer mesh than the backing wire screen. At every point in the mesh cloth to wire screen interface where there is a cross wire in the weave, a knuckling effect may be imparted on the adjacent mesh cloth. Subsequent vibration of the screening machine may thus prematurely wear out the mesh cloth and/or wire screen.
It is also known that vibrating wire screening machines exhibit varying amplitude rates across the face of the wire cloth (i.e., loops and nodes), and the position of these loops and nodes will vary with the type of wire and wire tension. It is, however, difficult to obtain uniform distribution of force energy upon the surface of the screen, and failure to properly distribute the energy vibrations may result in regions of high vibration separated from regions of low vibrations resulting in unequal wear patterns. Thus, unless the forces are balanced and properly distributed, wear and tear upon vibrated components may lead to early failure and increased maintenance. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a proper distribution of such vibrational energy and provide an improved vibrating wire screening machine